


Worlds Apart?

by archangelwithashotgun



Series: Sabriel School!Verse [5]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Angst with a Happy Ending, Fluffy Ending, High School AU, Human Gabriel, M/M, Temporarily Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-01
Updated: 2016-04-01
Packaged: 2018-05-30 15:35:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,133
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6430279
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/archangelwithashotgun/pseuds/archangelwithashotgun
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>SEQUEL to "The Thing About Cliques." </p>
<p>They became inseparable, and were each other’s best friend. Which became a huge issue once Gabriel became aware that his feelings for Sam blossomed into something more than platonic appreciation.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Worlds Apart?

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone! Thank you so much for your continuous support through this little series I got going on here! I wanted to add on a bit more to "The Thing About Cliques," so here is its sequel. Hope you all enjoy!

Gabriel felt really stupid.

Just horribly, repulsively, unapologetically _stupid_.

He grit his teeth together, ignoring the dull flash of pain that spread from his cheekbone from the movement. His right hand curled into a fist on top of his lap, and he had to force it to keep from trembling. His other hand gripped his water bottle with ill-restrained anger, and the plastic crackled in protest as he raised it to his lips.

God, _he should have known_.

He should have known better than to believe the encounter in the bathroom meant anything. He should have known better than to think things were going to be different today, that he wouldn’t be sitting at his usual spot in the cafeteria, alone and on the receiving end of students’ sidelong glances. He should have known better than to believe he had made a decent _friend_ at Truman, and a friend from a different standing at school nonetheless.

Gabriel should have known better than to have trusted the words of Sam Winchester.

He firmly kept his eyes on his lunch, jabbing the fork peevishly into the leftover roast beef from last night. Stupid. Stupid, stupid, _stupid_ –

“Sorry I’m late!”

Gabriel jumped, his fork stabbing into the beef with startled force, and he snapped his head toward the direction of the voice. Sam dropped into the seat before him, looking slightly winded. Situating himself, Sam unzipped his bag and pulled out a bulging paper bag.

“Mr. Wyatt wanted to talk to me after class about my essay,” Sam said in a rush, pulling out a sandwich and canned lemonade. “He actually gave me an A on it! Can you believe it? I honestly thought I completely bombed that paper, and then he goes on about how I had an extraordinary sense for imagery and for captivating my audience…”

The entire time Sam was speaking, gushing over the praise from their English instructor, Gabriel was staring at him, transfixed. He was here. Sam was actually _here_ , and he had kept his word. He could feel the stares from the students around them multiply their intensity ten-fold, but he paid them no mind. Nor did he pay mind to the emotional lump forming in his throat or the light sting in his eyes, which otherwise would have appalled him. Dear God, he was getting so _emotional_.

All because _Sam was actually here_.

“– just so that I can get a better understanding of the material before I… Gabriel?” Sam said, his enthusiastic speech trailing off as his brows furrowed, face pinching in concern as he stared at Gabriel. “Are you okay?”

Gabriel blinked, wrenching himself out of his trance. He offered Sam a small smile, hoping it was reassuring and nothing like the wobbly grimace he felt it was. Trying his best not to croak, he cleared his throat roughly and replied, “Yeah, Sam. I’m… I’m fine.”

Sam paused for a moment, observing Gabriel. Then, as if suddenly coming to a realization, Sam’s entire demeanor softened and he smiled warmly. He reached out and curled his fingers around the back of Gabriel’s hand. Gabriel’s eyes flew down to take in the sight before flitting back to meet Sam’s, bewildered.

“I’m sorry if I made you think even for a moment that I wasn’t coming, Gabriel,” Sam muttered. “But everything I said yesterday still holds true. Okay?”

Gabriel nodded, swallowing back the prior devastation as his belief and trust in Sam was freshly reestablished. The shock of the moment was washed away by a wave of blissful joy and Gabriel beamed.

“Okay,” he answered, twisting his hand around so that his fingers wrapped around Sam’s wrist and gave a grateful squeeze.

Sam grinned widely, and, to Gabriel’s displeasure, gently took back his hand.

“So Wyatt gave you an A, huh?” Gabriel said, desperately wanting to break the somber atmosphere with – dare he say it – his new friend.

The brightness of Sam’s smile increased watts, and he nodded.

“Didn’t he give you a perfect score on the presentation we had two weeks ago about the Outsiders?” Gabriel asked, bouncing his eyebrows playfully. “Are you sure there were no special favors?”

“ _Gabe_!” Sam exclaimed, his scandalized tone betrayed by the tremble in his jaw as he fought back laughter, throwing a carrot stick at the other boy. Gabriel snickered, flinging back the carrot towards Sam’s side of the table, all the while ignoring how elated he felt at the slip of a nickname from Sam’s lips.

Gabe… He liked it.

“Seriously, Sam,” Gabriel said around barely restrained giggles. “I-I honestly don’t get why you’re so surprised.”

“Oh, you don’t?” Sam said indulgingly, smirking as he took a bite out of his sandwich.

Gabriel shrugged vaguely. “I don’t. Underneath that massive hair is a massive brain. You’re smarter than you think you are, Samwich,” he said, pointedly glancing the food Sam was currently eating. Sam rolled his eyes.

“Ignoring that horrid nickname and the crack about my hair,” Sam huffed thickly around the sandwich, chewing and swallowing quickly to finish his sentence. “It’s nice to know you think I’m smart.”

“Oh, I know you’re smart,” Gabriel replied, shoving another forkful of meat into his mouth, rapidly looking over to a group of students still sending brief stares over to them. “You overcame the idiotic and illiterate nature that is Truman High’s football team. You need to have some smarts, or at least an IQ in the double digits, to achieve that.”

Sam snorted. “Hilarious.”

“I grow on you,” Gabriel said with a raunchy wink, his smirk becoming a smile as Sam’s rich laughter rang throughout the cafeteria.

::

After that, they formed a type of pattern throughout the weeks. They had two consecutive classes, lunch, and last period together. They talked with each other more during breaks in the coursework and during passing periods as they walked to their next class. They always sat together at lunch, and following last period they would head to the locker rooms together to get ready for their own separate practices, afterwards alternating in giving each other a ride home.

They traded numbers to maintain contact, making sure to allow the other knowledge in case one of them would be late or couldn’t make it to class or any of their usual meeting places. Truthfully, Gabriel had initially thought that was more for his assurance than for Sam’s. At least until one day he was abruptly called to stay behind in math class and couldn’t text Sam to let him know, and when he arrived at the cafeteria, approximately ten minutes late, he discovered an antsy Sam sitting at their usual spot, bouncing the ball of his foot anxiously on the ground, his face only lighting up with a relieved smile when Gabriel sat down in front of him.

They became inseparable, and were each other’s best friend.

Which became a huge issue once Gabriel became aware that his feelings for Sam blossomed into something more than platonic appreciation.

He didn’t allow the gradual realization of his changing feelings for Sam disrupt the easy nature of their friendship, maintaining the usual level of humor and encouragement and support with Sam as he would under previous circumstances.

But it was growing increasingly difficult not to let Sam know what was going on in his mind and heart. Especially when the other boy did something like bring Gabriel a can of coke when Gabriel ran out at home, or when he waited for Gabriel outside art class when he had statistics on the other side of the building, or when he sang along to the radio when he drove Gabriel home, revealing his gorgeous dimples and hazel eyes accented with shades of green and gold, gleaming with exhilaration…

_God, he was so fucked._

It was slowly destroying him.

The bright side of this whole ordeal was that Gabriel obtained a new level of focus in his studies and cross country; he didn’t want to spend every waking minute pining after Sam Winchester, his best friend who was so unreachable, so he threw himself into his schoolwork and cross country, pushing himself all the more harder and forcing thoughts of Sam out of his mind.

As a result, his grades skyrocketed as the weeks progressed and he was making excellent time in cross country. And as a bonus, he began to notice more muscle mass and less fat in his body from extra time spent in the weight room.

Gabriel normally would have been exceedingly happy with himself, bursting with self-pride and outwardly expressing how in love with himself he was, his antics borderline narcissistic.

But all it took was a wide, beaming smile from Sam’s mouth, handsome face creased in joy, voice intermixed with gruff smoothness offering sincere congratulations, and all Gabriel could feel was him dying inside.

Sam wasn’t stupid. The kid was probably one of the most perceptive people Gabriel ever had the benefit of meeting. Gabriel knew that Sam knew something was wrong; he could see it in the slight narrowing of Sam’s eyes whenever Gabriel dismissed the implication of the topic with a smart remark, and in the questioning gleam inside wondrous hazel oceans. Sam wasn’t pushing yet, but he would.

This had Gabriel preparing himself for the inevitable confrontation, knowing that one day he’d have to face the music.

He just didn’t want the certain loss that he knew would come with it.

::

It took a few weeks of not so discreet scrutiny before Sam spoke up.

“What’s been up with you lately?”

They were sitting on the hood of Gabriel’s father’s 70s Lincoln Continental, taking the time to unwind after a particularly long and grueling week of games, meets, and exams. Two cans of soda were perched carefully on the space between them, freshly chilled and dripping condensation. They were facing the empty practice field before them, watching the occasional community jogger trekking along the track as the sky glowed with the approaching sunset.

Gabriel kept his gaze steady on his dangling feet, grabbing his soda can and taking in a small mouthful. “What do you mean?”

“That,” Sam said pointedly. Gabriel glanced back up at his friend, and Sam was staring at him, frowning behind his growing fringe. “That’s what I’m talking about. Or at least part of it anyway.”

Gabriel chuckled. “Can you get any more cryptic, Samsquatch?”

“There’s clearly something wrong,” Sam said, ignoring Gabriel’s lighthearted jab, fixing him with a firm look. “And you’re either completely oblivious to it or acting dumb. So which is it?”

“What, are you asking if I think I’m clueless or stupid?”

“Gabriel, please.”

Gabriel sighed, internally resigning himself to the fact that Sam was never going to leave this alone, whether he managed to escape this today or not. And from the sound of it, Sam wasn’t leaving today without getting to the bottom of what had been bothering Gabriel.

He was trapped. This was it.

Gabriel took another swig from his can of soda, taking a few dry swallows afterwards to work past the horrible knot forming in his throat, closing his eyes briefly against the pounding of his pulse against his chest.

“Sam… I can’t tell you.”

“Why _not_?”

Gabriel opened his eyes, staring at the darkened interior of his soda can, the miniscule bubbles popping continuously inside the echoed space.

“Because if I tell you,” Gabriel said trailing off as his voice threatened to crack. Swallowing once more, he plastered a fake, albeit grim, smile on his face as he pushed forward, turning back to Sam. “If I tell you, you’re going to hate me.”

Sam’s brows, pinched together in confusion, now went slack with surprise, his jaw loosening. Then everything went taut once more as a rare kind of fury enveloped Sam’s face, the intensity of it similar to what Gabriel experienced that first day in the boys’ bathroom. Gabriel’s nerves, already frayed with distraught, went haywire.

“And what makes you think that anything you say to me is going to make me hate you?” Sam asked vehemently. “You’re my _best friend_ , Gabe! What could you possibly say that will change that?”

Oh, _God_.

Gabriel exhaled shakily, slowly twisting his torso so that he was facing the opposite direction of Sam, and he closed his lids to cover the instant heat over his eyes. “I shouldn’t have done this.”

“Done what? Gabriel?”

“This was a bad idea,” Gabriel said after a moment’s pause. Abruptly, he leapt off the hood of the car, eyes flashing open, linking his fingers tightly over his scalp as he paced away from where Sam was sitting. “I _knew_ this would be a bad idea.”

“Gabriel, I swear to God, if you don’t tell—“

“ _This_!” Gabriel exclaimed, whirling around and gesturing frantically to the space between him and Sam. “You, me, us, being friends. I knew right from the beginning that this would be bad idea, I just didn’t know how. But I was fucking right, wasn’t I?! Because I’m me, and you’re _you_ , and you—and you’re smart and handsome and _perfect_. And I-I’m just standing here feeling my brain _fall apart_ over you. I _knew_ this would be a bad idea, because we’re _friends_ , and I don’t want to be!”

Gabriel sucked in a harsh breath immediately after the last word was spoken, trembling with the exertion of having finally spoken what was plaguing his mind, and from the petrifying terror that overwhelmed with as Sam’s eyes grew wide, his friend’s expression blanching with the confession.

Could he even call Sam his friend anymore?

That thought echoed through Gabriel's mind and suffocated him, forcing him to draw in soft, quivering gasps. Ferociously fighting back tears, Gabriel raised the soda can to his lips, taking a large mouthful of the sugary drink. Swallowing, he pressed his lips together and dipped his head, finally removing his gaze from Sam’s frozen one.

“… I’ll take you home now if you want,” Gabriel muttered after a long silence.

Sam didn’t answer.

Heart bleeding, Gabriel stalked toward the driver’s side door without looking back over to Sam, opening it and climbing inside. He refrained from slamming the soda can into one of his cupholders for vague fear of drenching his father’s car with the drink that still remained, and as soon as he was situated comfortably in the driver’s seat, he closed the door.

Sam remained on the hood, his back to Gabriel.

Gabriel sighed, allowing a tiny, strangled sob to escape him in the isolated quiet of the car, firmly pressing his palm against his mouth and pinching the bridge of his nose with the index and thumb of his other hand.

Stupid.

Just horribly, repulsively, unapologetically _stupid_.

What had he done? He ruined everything with Sam, the only true friend he managed to make here at Truman High, and now he managed to lose him all in one go. Why hadn’t he just kept his mouth shut and just dealt with the suffering of unrequited feelings, if only to not feel the cold numbness that now gripped his insides at this moment?

Stupid, stupid, fucking stupid—

The driver’s door was suddenly wrenched open beside him, making Gabriel jump wildly with fright and whipping his hands away from his face as he turned to see what happened.

Sam was standing there, staring down at him with a palm resting on the top of the car door.

Gabriel could feel the warm trail of unnoticed tears cascading down his cheeks, but was indifferent toward them. Sam was going to hurt him, be it physically or emotionally, and now he just didn’t _care_. So he didn’t even bother hiding the thick break in his voice as he spoke.

“I told you’d hate me, and—“

But then Sam dropped to his knees, reached out to cradle Gabriel’s face in a strong grip, and before Gabriel could flinch, Sam leaned in…

And he was kissing him.

Sam was _kissing_ him.

Oh.

All coherent thought fled from Gabriel’s mind, all the burning questions and bewilderment and confusion that would surely come later. Sam was pressing their lips together with insistent force, his lips rubbing against Gabriel’s desperately, and Gabriel couldn’t find it in him to do anything else but close his eyes, a fresh set of tears to spilling over his cheeks, and began kissing Sam back tentatively.

At Gabriel’s hesitant response, Sam’s eagerness surged. He pressed himself closer to Gabriel with a gasp against his mouth, his hands sliding from Gabriel’s jaw to rest subsequently on Gabriel’s lower back and the base of his neck, pulling the smaller boy tighter against him. Gabriel whimpered at the increased contact, twisted a little awkwardly in his seat as he lifted his hands to Sam’s shoulders, fingers tightening in the fabric-covered flesh when Sam’s tongue made an appearance as it swiped against Gabriel’s lips. Obediently, Gabriel parted them, and then their tongues were sliding against one another, licking and twisting and _Jesus_. There was the salty tint of his tears slipping in between their joined mouths, the lingering taste of the Sprite Sam was drinking lightly evident on his tongue. But the taste of _Sam_ , that unique flavor that was incomparable to even the most delicious of Gabriel's sweets, overpowered everything else.

It was Sam who pulled away first, tugging his lips free from Gabriel’s with a gasp, and panting out a brief smile when Gabriel tried to follow the departing mouth with a protesting whine. They were both heaving large breaths, and neither removed their hands from where they were, still locked in their embrace, Sam’s brow pressed against Gabriel’s.

In a rush, all the questions and worry and confusion that Gabriel opted not to think about during the kiss – that amazing, otherworldly kiss – slammed into him full force, and he continued to stare at Sam, trying to form a sentence in the scrambled mess that was his brain.

It must have read in his expression though because Sam was suddenly smiling again, that smile that he’s been giving Gabriel all along, same as always but at the same time different now.

“You’re an absolute _moron_.”

Despite himself, despite all the previous fear and despair and current shock and arousal trickling through his bloodstream, despite the fact that he could hardly remember his name a moment ago, Gabriel was still the mischievous and cocky little shit that he was, and he replied, “Y’know, I’m a pretty high maintenance broad, and name-calling is actually a huge turn off so—“

Sam rolled his eyes mid-sentence and surged forward to press their mouths together once more, swallowing Gabriel’s startled laugh in the kiss.

Gabriel decided right then and there that Sam could call him a moron all he likes, so long as he keeps kissing him like that.


End file.
